Please Help! Tinnitus from Perforated Ear Drum

[anusha]

Hi

I have a perforated ear drum. I was unable to hear properly after last Sunday guess put Q-tip deep so I went urgent care on Wednesday and they thought it was ear wax which is blocking my hearing and poured hydrogen peroxide. It hurt so bad I cried and screamed with pain.

Then started the tinnitus. Then I admitted in ER and got appointment of specialist. He told hydrogen peroxide was the wrong thing to pour in ear when there is a perforation. He mentioned there is 2mm-3mm perforation. I can't bear the ringing in the ear. They did hearing test and mentioned that there is hearing loss for low frequency hearing in left ear.

I cried my eyes out in the night because of ringing. He told there is no infection and avoid contact with water. He put me on steroids.

Is the ringing going to go away once the perforation heals? Please help me. I cant be normal with this constant buzz in ear. It's driving me crazy please help me. It's been 5 days and I feel like am living in hell.

Please help me. I tried soothing music in the night but am waking up because of the noises and can't stop crying.

 

[Amiel]

Is the ringing going to go away once the perforation heals?

It might not go away but you will learn to live with the maddening ringing... there is no choice but to live, some people commit suicide but I suggest you don't! its only been 5 days for you.

 

[Bill Bauer]

I am sorry this had happened to you.

Normally, tinnitus fades - the volume gets quieter and it can turn to a hiss that is easier to ignore. Many people eventually end up hearing silence again. Check out the studies on
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/spontaneous-recovery-stats-over-70-recover-3-studies.21441/
Of course most of these studies are not about people who got T the way you did. But there is certainly still hope.

You need sound enrichment, to allow you to listen to something else besides your T:
http://mynoise.net/
https://www.amazon.com/Sound-Oasis-S-5000-Deluxe-Therapy/dp/B018KUVEOM
https://www.amazon.com/Cherry-Koala-Concentration-Relaxation-Sufferers/dp/B01FRW2WBA

When I was in that acute stage, amitriptyline had helped me sleep. It is non-addictive and it didn't make me feel drowsy in the morning.

As for suicide, until you've had T for over a year or even two, you can't be sure that T is permanent. So wait a year or two, and then make that decision.

 

[GregCA]

Is the ringing going to go away once the perforation heals?

There is a good chance yes.

He told hydrogen peroxide was the wrong thing to pour in ear when there is a perforation.

With a perforation, the HP got to your middle ear which isn't a good thing indeed (the cochlea windows are accessible from there).

 

[ajith]

Anusha.Are you from India? .You got tinnitus from perforated eardrum ,rgt? I think my condition is similar to you.

 

[Deathtotinni]

Hi

I have a perforated ear drum. I was unable to hear properly after last Sunday guess put Q-tip deep so I went urgent care on Wednesday and they thought it was ear wax which is blocking my hearing and poured hydrogen peroxide. It hurt so bad I cried and screamed with pain.

Then started the tinnitus. Then I admitted in ER and got appointment of specialist. He told hydrogen peroxide was the wrong thing to pour in ear when there is a perforation. He mentioned there is 2mm-3mm perforation. I can't bear the ringing in the ear. They did hearing test and mentioned that there is hearing loss for low frequency hearing in left ear.

I cried my eyes out in the night because of ringing. He told there is no infection and avoid contact with water. He put me on steroids.

Is the ringing going to go away once the perforation heals? Please help me. I cant be normal with this constant buzz in ear. It's driving me crazy please help me. It's been 5 days and I feel like am living in hell.

Please help me. I tried soothing music in the night but am waking up because of the noises and can't stop crying.

I think it will likely stop once the ear drum heals. I did the same thing but I had feeling of fullness in my ear thinking it was wax or something stuck in my eardrum. Mine has been going on since september but I got in a bad accident last year and have had problems with my ear since. I think your tinnitus will go away though. I've had it in the past from the same thing and it went away. I don't know where you live but the ents at John Hopkins are supposed to be pretty good.

 

[anusha]

I've had it in the past from the same thing and it went away. I don't know where you live but the ents at John Hopkins are supposed to be pretty good.

Thank you. Intensity did reduce significantly from the day I posted this to today. But yesterday I got a bad cold , cough I am scared and taking care. I hope the flu goes away and also the intensity will diminish the T to zero. Day before yesterday T was really low and thought it went away for good but today I can hear it a bit but not as much as before. My ENT seems pretty good so far. I am from Michigan I don't think there is John Hopkins here.

 

[anusha]

Anusha.Are you from India? .You got tinnitus from perforated eardrum ,rgt? I think my condition is similar to you

Hello yes I am from India but currently stay in US.

I can see the difference in intensity of T from 1st week to now. I am hoping it will go for good soon. My doctor told as the hearing loss is recovered the intensity of T diminishes. Ear drum perforation can cause hearing loss - hearing loss can cause T. There is no direct treatment for T so doctors try to cure hearing loss.

Doctor did mention the size of the ear drum did reduce from 1st week to 3rd week. I am having my next appointment with my ENT in Jan 1st week. Hopefully it will close completely by then.

I had no hope until day before yesterday as T was almost same until day before yesterday. I also thought it went completely as I did not hear it for a while and I posted in success stories. Later I heard it again but the intensity is less than before. Now I am hopeful for my T to recover and taking that as a positive sign from my body.

Keep faith in god and healing process. I pray for your recovery too. Take care by avoiding water near your ear. Do not blow your nose.

I am having cough and cold am trying my best not to blow my nose.

 

[Joel Waterman]

He was very right to tell you to avoid water contact. Lots of people (including me) get tinnitus/hyperacusis or make it worse by trying themselves, or having a doctor, flush their ears with water, aka syringing. Some doctors/nurses still do this, so whatever you do I warn you to never let a doctor try to remove ear wax by using this procedure. I hear that a doctor can remove it manually, which is safer, but takes longer. Either way, definitely research the risks of this syringing if a doctor ever wants to do it, because it's considered by many to be very unsafe. I hope that your tinnitus gets better!
Best of wishes

 

[anusha]

I don't know what to believe about my body now I thought I was close to healing. Tuesday I thought it's completely gone and from Wednesday I got cold and cough and T increased gradually and today is Sunday I hear it as loud as the first day I heard T. I have my fan and white noise machine on and I hear it on top of those slightly. Falling asSleep is hard. I have a habit of sleeping on side and I hear T it makes me a bit restless. I just feel really sad. Why can't we stop this

 

[Bill Bauer]

I still believe that eventually your T will be gone. You just need to be patient. The fact that it was silent for a while is a wonderful sign, and surely your cold is not going to do any permanent damage.

 

[Joel Waterman]

I have a hard time sleeping with my loud T, and one thing I do that really helps is to set aside 10-12 hours for sleep instead of the 6-9 hours I used to set aside. That way, even when it takes me hours to fall asleep I'm not stressing out about not getting enough sleep/rest. Even while I'm laying down awake for hours I try to just relax, breath peacefully, and focus on just resting.

And, like Bill said, it's a really good sign that it relented for a while. It could very well be pretty temperary.

Hang in there, and we're all hoping for the best for you.

 

[Bill Bauer]

one thing I do that really helps is to set aside 10-12 hours for sleep instead of the 6-9 hours I used to set aside

That is a really good idea.

 

[anusha]

I still believe that eventually your T will be gone. You just need to be patient. The fact that it was silent for a while is a wonderful sign, and surely your cold is not going to do any permanent damage.

Thank you I hope cold didn't do any damage and T reduces like before.

 

[anusha]

I have a hard time sleeping with my loud T, and one thing I do that really helps is to set aside 10-12 hours for sleep instead of the 6-9 hours I used to set aside. That way, even when it takes me hours to fall asleep I'm not stressing out about not getting enough sleep/rest. Even while I'm laying down awake for hours I try to just relax, breath peacefully, and focus on just resting.

And, like Bill said, it's a really good sign that it relented for a while. It could very well be pretty temperary.

Hang in there, and we're all hoping for the best for you.

I did that first two weeks as T reduced I was getting back to my routine but T is increasing again looks like I have to get back to your idea. It's really important to get that 6-7 hrs sleep to function properly next day.

 

[Joel Waterman]

I did that first two weeks as T reduced I was getting back to my routine

Yeah, at times when my T seemed to be mellowing out I've done the same thing, and was pretty annoyed when it went up again and I had to go back to 10-12 hours, lol.
And definitely important to get good sleep. I notice my eyes start to get bloodshot if I don't get enough sleep, so I'm always checking them in the mirror as kind of a sign of whether I'm sleeping enough. Even laying down awake with my eyes closed for a few hours will help reduce any bloodshotness that's trying to creep in.
Merry Christmas!!!

 

[anusha]

Yeah, at times when my T seemed to be mellowing out I've done the same thing, and was pretty annoyed when it went up again and I had to go back to 10-12 hours, lol.
And definitely important to get good sleep. I notice my eyes start to get bloodshot if I don't get enough sleep, so I'm always checking them in the mirror as kind of a sign of whether I'm sleeping enough. Even laying down awake with my eyes closed for a few hours will help reduce any bloodshotness that's trying to creep in.
Merry Christmas!!!

Haha I will check my eyes too good idea.
It's snowing crazy and it's a white Christmas (yay) Normal me would run out and build a snow man but trying to get rid of my cold. Hoping T will reduce. Merry Christmas

 

[Noa Fernandez]

My case was quite similar to yours, I also had a perforated ear drum witch led me to take antibiotics (ear drups) and I really think that the antibiotics caused my T.

I really dont want to scare you, because there is a big change that ur T will fade away. In my case it didnt. BUT i have to say that my T have changed so many things in my life, in a positive way. Yes in the beginning I was crying and having panic attacks but after a while when ur life goes on, you forgot that ur T is there. I slept for a year with rain videos that masked my T, after that I was so used to the sound that it didnt bother me at all.
I just want to say, keep it positive, do relaxing things, TALK with people that support you and the most important thing is to stay calm, i know its hard but its the only medicine.

 

[Deathtotinni]

I thought mine was getting better the other day, but went to a loudish family Christmas party and it was loud again. I also have a fullness in my ear, which I've had for a long time but the more I learn about your ears the scarier it is. I found it helpful to talk to people who also have T. My cousin and my uncile both have it from the military. I truly believe yours will go away with time. Mine started from what I think was a perforated ear drum too because it started as soon as stuck that evil qtip in my ear. Many doctors have told me they see no hole, so that's a little unnerving. Also still have the fullness in my ear and it gets worse the louder the environment I'm in. Doctor said that sometimes the eardrum gets out of whack and moves around after perforation and that it should settle down with time. I think this will be the case for you as well.

 

[anusha]

Doctor said that sometimes the eardrum gets out of whack and moves around after perforation and that it should settle down with time

Doctor said the same to me. My ENT doc repeats the same statement in every visit that as my hearing loss goes up my T should diminish. He seems pretty confident that 90% of such cases T reduces. I am trusting my doctors words and hoping that should be the case as my hearing loss is recovered half way through but my T fluctuates so much every day some days its quiet other days its like Day 1. I think my spiking up of T is related to cold, exposure of loud noises like your Christmas event. I am avoiding silence all together as much as possible because silence makes me panic think more about T and makes me start crying. I got a white noise machine from target works perfect. It's almost a month with T and my panic has reduced as I am masking it most of the times and when i think about T I am deviating myself to do other things. Definitely talking with other people who have T makes you feel better that there is someone out there who can understand what you are going through. For me I have my mom who is dealing with T since 7years. Now I understand what she was going through. She says she got used to it and says not to get scared when I hear T think of it like a shadow.

 

[Deathtotinni]

Doctor said the same to me. My ENT doc repeats the same statement in every visit that as my hearing loss goes up my T should diminish. He seems pretty confident that 90% of such cases T reduces. I am trusting my doctors words and hoping that should be the case as my hearing loss is recovered half way through but my T fluctuates so much every day some days its quiet other days its like Day 1. I think my spiking up of T is related to cold, exposure of loud noises like your Christmas event. I am avoiding silence all together as much as possible because silence makes me panic think more about T and makes me start crying. I got a white noise machine from target works perfect. It's almost a month with T and my panic has reduced as I am masking it most of the times and when i think about T I am deviating myself to do other things. Definitely talking with other people who have T makes you feel better that there is someone out there who can understand what you are going through. For me I have my mom who is dealing with T since 7years. Now I understand what she was going through. She says she got used to it and says not to get scared when I hear T think of it like a shadow.

Did your doctor say what kind of hearing loss you had? My tinnitus is really high frequency and feels like I can only mask it with a shower. I haven't tried white noise yet but I'm hoping it will help. My doctor also said he thinks my tinnitus could be from tmj....still haven't had a hearing test but I know the volume in my right ear is lower than my left. I hope your t gets better. There will be a cure in our life time so maybe we don't have to live it forever if it doesn't get better. I know you'll get used to it if it doesn't fade, so try not worry and get to a bad place about it. What was your hear loss from and what kind of t do you have?

 

[anusha]

I can mask my T with a exhaust fans or white noise machine. But when I sleep on left side where I hve my T with fan or white noise machine on I can still hear the buzzing noise.so I have avoided trying to sleep on my left side. My T noise sounds as if there was a bad cable connection or like a electric static. My hearing loss is due to perforated ear drum. My ear drum hole size has reduced and hearing loss is regained a bit but my T doesn't seem to fade away like it did feel two weeks back. But I am still holding on to my hope. I am 28 years old I am thinking my body will recover from this and hopefully I will see a medical cure in my lifetime.

 

[Bill Bauer]

my T doesn't seem to fade away like it did feel two weeks back

Give it more time. Hopefully you will experience improvement in the next 3-6 months.